Babushka's Beauty Secrets Book Review & Giveaway 7/10 - CLOSED WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO....

VALERIE, LOUIS & JAKIESMOM!

e-mails were just sent and each have 48 hours to respond before new winner(s) are chosen via random.org.

Thanks to all those who entered!

I've realizing that natural is the way to go on so many fronts and on my journey to get healthier and ensure I live a long life, I'm encountering new information.  I have to say that blogging has opened the door to learn about numerous products, gain insightful information and realize what is important.  One thing I was lucky to experience was a complimentary copy of Babushka's Beauty Secrets:  Old World Tips for a Glamorous New You by Raisa Ruder and Susan Campos.  

This handy sized book is inexpensive and comes with a wealth of information on tips and tricks to staying healthier and looking younger without all the high costs of cosmetics and other beauty products.  The book is very basic in that it's black and white with matching drawings so for me, it had that old world appeal.   I loved how the authors described Babushka and all her methods for creating the different recipes.  It was like she was my Babushka too or at the very least, a very cool one to have!


I was so excited to try out the different recipes for beauty that I couldn't decide which one's to try so I had to keep writing them down and I settled first on the grapes.  I haven't tried it long enough to fully know if it works but all the basis behind each recipe was logical to me and I couldn't help but think it would work.  What else would I have to lose anyway?   One of the basic lessons also learned is utilize everything!  My grandmother was the same way and I suspect anyone from that generation as they had to ration everything and it's a lost art today.


Need a solution for cracked lips, crow's feet, hair coloring enhancement, ingrown hairs and so much more?  It's in this powerhouse book!  If you haven't figured it out, I love it!


I would highly recommend the book for both young and old as even if you are in your teens, it's not too early to protect your skin and keep it's youthful appearance.


The Giveaway:


There lucky US or Canadian winners will win their own copy of this fabulous, entertaining and great book!


To Enter:


Follow my blog and leave a comment!


Bonus Entries:

• Visit Hachette Book Group and tell me what other book you like (two entries)
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Follow me on Twitter
• Fan me on Facebook.
• Blog about this giveaway (five entries)
• Tweet about this giveaway (two entries - can be done daily)
• Enter any of my other giveaways (five entries)

Giveaway ends 7/10 at midnight.  Winners will be chosen by random.org. 

Open to US and Canada only please!

Good Huggies Deal at Target: As Low as $4.74 Each

Target has a great deal on Huggies baby wipes and diapers!

Buy one box Huggies Wipes – 320 ct at $8.99

Buy one jumbo pack of Huggies diapers (either Little Movers or Little Snugglers) at $8.99

Your total will be  $17.98

Use $3 diaper printable

Use $2 wipes printable

Use $3.50 Target wipes and diaper printable 

      = $4.74 each!

Thanks, Saving Addiction and Frugal Coupon Living.

Don't forget to enter my Huggies five pack diaper giveaway here.

Random Thought: You Know You're a Huggies' Mom When...

As you try to save money and look at the most recent Publix savings, you pass right by the Pampers savings offers.

Or you see offers for free Pampers and you don't flinch but when there is a $3 off coupon for Huggies, you charge right over to the site to print.

Or you see CVS has a special on Huggies and Walmart has Pampers a couple of dollars cheaper but you take the longer drive to CVS to buy the Huggies.

Wonder if we will get pink Huggies Little Movers Jeans diapers next?  I have a grand daughter on the way that would look adorable in them!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for diapers for a year here and my giveaway for FIVE packs of Huggies here 6/29!

Pirate Brands Smart Puffs Oven Baked Gluten Free Puffs Are Amazing

 

This is not a review post based on a product trial offer rather it's just one I wanted to share with others as we love it!  It's oven baked and all natural!  No preservatives, gluten and trans fat free!  We've been on a slow path towards eating healthier and my girls love Cheetos but after reading some of the healthy books such as Vintage Remedies, it's been opening my eyes to preservatives and additives.


Here is the book if interested as my giveaway for Vintage Remedies already ended.  It's an excellent resource for those wanting to get back to a natural way to eat.

My daughters and I embarked on a mission to Earth Fare and they had samples out of the Smart Puffs and much to my surprise, the girls loved them and so do I!  We ran out and tried to buy another brand but it left a weird after taste.  The Smart Puffs are addicting as the real Wisconsin cheddar is amazingly good.

They are part of the Pirate Brands of food and to date, we've tried the Smart Puffs and the Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar.

The first ingredient is corn meal ... no processed, refined flour  .. just corn meal and I can actually pronounce every ingredient on the label which doesn't contain much.

The Pirate Story:

The Pirate Brands story began in 1987 in Sea Cliff, NY with our founder, Robert. Robert, a snack industry renegade and father of two, scoured the high-seas for a tasty treasure that would inspire people to live a little healthier and have fun while doing it. That's when Robert discovered the cheesy rice and corn puffs we know today as, Pirate's Booty.

Thanks to Robert and his tasty treasure, no longer do you have to eat "cheese" puffs dusted with neon orange powder with incomprehensible ingredients. When you buy Pirate Brands products, you are getting wholesome goodness without the guilt.

Check them out here and on Facebook.

Kids of Blogmania 1st Annual Photo Contest

  

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

Add a direct** link to your photo in the link up below.

Enter just your child's first name, age in the correct box.

PLUS*

SEND $1 to blogmaniapr@gmail via PAYPAL with this statement copy, pasted and personalized in the notes section*:

I, your name, give Blogmania permission to use this photo of (child's name and age). I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the rules of the photo contest, that I am this child's parent or legal guardian, and that I have permission to use the photograph I submitted for this purpose.

*This part is very important as it is how we will be verifying your eligibility - by sending the fee electronically with the proper notes are acknowledging you have read and agreed to the rules of this contest. Any photo links without an immediate corresponding deposit via PayPal will be deleted and not eligible to win. NO EXCEPTIONS.

THE DETAILS...

Subject must be dressed and you may enter as many photos as you'd like - each photo will be judged individually - no one finalist will be chosen based on the sum of multiple entries.

Each entry must be accompanied by a separate $1 submission toblogmaniapr@gmail via PayPal with a note on each deposit!

This is because the photos are being judged individually.

As we will be using your actual submission photo on our fan page and website, etc. - you must have taken it yourself or have the photographer's permission to use it for this contest. Feel free to include photographer credits in the body of your deposit and we will share those online if your photo wins.

This photo contest is for photos of children 13 and under. If you or your children are 14-25 - please enter our FRESH FACE of BLOGMANIAmodel search.

{By entering and agreeing to the rules of this contest you are allowing Blogmania to use your photo in any and all advertisements related to Blogmania 2010-11. Photos shown on any Blogmania venuebefore the winner is revealed is for advertising purpose and in no way reflects the standing count of the votes. The person who accepts the prizes is responsible for any tax responsibilities for prizes won.}

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED by JULY 2, 2010 11:59 PM EST

Any entries received after this time will be deleted from contest.

*Links that are not direct links to entry photo will be deleted.

{no exceptions - direct links to blog post of photo only, flickr, phtobucket, etc. ONLY}

*There are no refunds of the $1 verification fee.

ENTER HERE NOW...

Fresh Face of Blogmania 2010-2011 Model SearchBlogmania has lots of GREAT sponsors and prizes geared toward families, home, and babies. It's what we're known for - introducing adults to high quality shops and products via our blogs. BUT did you ALSO know that we have MANY GREAT SHOPS AND PRIZES that anyone under the age of 25 would be interested in shopping at and thrilled to win?!?? Well, it's time we got the word out - and we want your help! BLOGMANIA is holding it's first ever MODEL SEARCH - we are looking for someone to be the FRESH FACE of BLOGMANIA 2010 - and it could be you! HOW DO YOU ENTER? Email a photo of yourself to blogmaniapr@gmail.com with JUST your full name in the subject line, and your age, state or province, and country in the body. PLUS*, SEND $1 to blogmaniapr@gmail via PAYPAL with if you are 18 to 25: your full name and self written in notes. (IE: Jane Smith, self) if you are under 18: your full name and minor, the PARENT or GUARDIAN giving you permission to enter's full name and their relation to you written in the notes. (IE: Jane Smith, minor Julie Smith, mother) *This part is very important as it is how we will be verifying your eligibility - by sending the fee electronically with the proper notes you (and your parent/guardian) are acknowledging they have read and agreed to the rules of this contest. Any photos without a corresponding deposit via PayPal will be deleted and not eligible to win. NO EXCEPTIONS. THE DETAILS... Subject must be dressed PG. You may enter as many photos as you'd like - each photo will be judged individually - no one finalist will be chosen based on the sum of multiple entries. Each entry must be accompanied by a separate $1 submission to blogmaniapr@gmail via PayPal and if you are sending more than one please number both your submission email AND PayPal submission. IE: Jane Smith #1 , Jane Smith #2 and so on. This is because we are judging the photos and need to be able to verify that entrant has agreed to the rules and guidelines for each entry. As we will be using your actual submission photo on our fan page and website, etc. - you must have taken it yourself or have the photographer's permission to use it for this contest. Feel free to include photographer credits in the body of your email and we will share those online. Photos will be judged individually and initially by a select group of Blogmania team members and sponsors to narrow the entries down to the 10 finalists. Photos will be judged on (including, but not limited too) subject, originality, and creativeness. Buzz words to keep in mind... fun, fresh, over $20,000 in prizes up for grabs this September, web EVENT of the year. {By entering and agreeing to the rules of this contest you are allowing Blogmania to use your photo in any and all advertisements related to Blogmania 2010-11. Photos shown on any Blogmania venue before the 10 finalists are revealed, does not mean that they have been chosen as a finalist and are not guaranteed a spot in the finals. The 10 finalists will be announced on this blog on August 1, 2010 and voting will then be open to the public to determine the top 5 finalists. All top 5 finalists will be awarded prizes by our sponsors and will be included in a second round of public voting to determine the winner. Winner will hold the title of the FRESH FACE of BLOGMANIA from September 1, 2010 - September 1, 2011. Winner will also receive additional cash, product and GC prizes from a variety of contest sponsors. Winner is responsible for any tax responsibilities for prizes won.} ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED by JULY 15, 2010 11:59 PM EST

Blogmania has lots of GREAT sponsors and prizes geared toward families, home, and babies. It's what we're known for - introducing adults to high quality shops and products via our blogs.BUT did you ALSO know that we have MANY GREAT SHOPS AND PRIZES that anyone under the age of 25 would be interested in shopping at and thrilled to win?!?? Well, it's time we got the word out - and we wantyour help!

BLOGMANIA is holding it's first ever MODEL SEARCH - we are looking for someone to be the FRESH FACE of BLOGMANIA 2010 - and it could be you!

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

Email a photo of yourself to blogmaniapr@gmail.com with JUST your full name in the subject line, and your age, state or province, and country in the body. 

PLUS*, SEND $1 to blogmaniapr@gmail via PAYPAL with if you are 18 to 25:

your full name and self written in notes. (IE: Jane Smith, self)

If you are under 18:

your full name and minor, the PARENT or GUARDIAN giving you permission to enter's full name and their relation to you written in the notes. (IE: Jane Smith, minor Julie Smith, mother)

*This part is very important as it is how we will be verifying your eligibility - by sending the fee electronically with the proper notes you (and your parent/guardian) are acknowledging they have read and agreed to the rules of this contest. Any photos without a corresponding deposit via PayPal will be deleted and not eligible to win. NO EXCEPTIONS.

THE DETAILS...

Subject must be dressed PG.

You may enter as many photos as you'd like - each photo will be judged individually - no one finalist will be chosen based on the sum of multiple entries. 

Each entry must be accompanied by a separate $1 submission toblogmaniapr@gmail via PayPal and if you are sending more than one please number both your submission email AND PayPal submission.

IE: Jane Smith #1 , Jane Smith #2 and so on.

This is because we are judging the photos and need to be able to verify that entrant has agreed to the rules and guidelines for each entry.

As we will be using your actual submission photo on our fan page and website, etc. - you must have taken it yourself or have the photographer's permission to use it for this contest. Feel free to include photographer credits in the body of your email and we will share those online.

Photos will be judged individually and initially by a select group of Blogmania team members and sponsors to narrow the entries down to the 10 finalists. Photos will be judged on (including, but not limited too) subject, originality, and creativeness. Buzz words to keep in mind... fun, fresh, over $20,000 in prizes up for grabs this September, web EVENT of the year.

{By entering and agreeing to the rules of this contest you are allowing Blogmania to use your photo in any and all advertisements related to Blogmania 2010-11. Photos shown on any Blogmania venuebefore the 10 finalists are revealed, does not mean that they have been chosen as a finalist and are not guaranteed a spot in the finals. The 10 finalists will be announced on this blog on August 1, 2010 and voting will then be open to the public to determine the top 5 finalists. All top 5 finalists will be awarded prizes by our sponsors and will be included in a second round of public voting to determine the winner. Winner will hold the title of the FRESH FACE of BLOGMANIA from September 1, 2010 - September 1, 2011. Winner will also receive additional cash, product and GC prizes from a variety of contest sponsors. Winner is responsible for any tax responsibilities for prizes won.}

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED by JULY 15, 2010

11:59 PM EST 

Blogmania Spotlight: Always B Designs & Summer Sale

Custom stationery and gifts are always a favorite of mine and my Blogmania 2010 sponsor, Always B Designs has a wonderful selection of great gifts.  From clipboards to jewelry to stationery to scrapbooks and even services for logo design, writing/editing and parties, Always B Designs has a lot to offer.

Clipboards:

• They offer both 6x9 (Small - click on clipboard on left) and 9x12 (Large - click on clipboard on right). 
• If you don't see something you like, contact them and they can custom-design one for you.  You can even add a name!

Jewelry:

• Always B Designs offer Domino, Scrabble Tile, and Bottle Cap Jewelry.  They come ready to wear and can add a little sass to your day. 
• If you want a custom made one, feel free to contact them!

Stationery:

• Always B designs offers custom stationery, including note cards, business cards, and invitations! 
• There is no limit to what you can create with them.  However, due to the custom nature of these products, there is no online ordering option with them yet. 
• In each category you will find samples of the types of things they have created in the past.  

Scrapbooks:

• Scrapbooks are a fun and creative way to capture your favorite memories.  They offer custom-made, pre-made, and digital scrapbooks. 
• Custom-made scrapbooks can be tailored to your occasion, theme, colors, and style.  These are quoted based on individual jobs.
• Pre-made scrapbooks come completed and ready for pictures.  All you do is add your pictures.  Themes include Our Baby From A-Z, Our Wedding From A-Z, Baby's Firsts, Wedding Moments, School Days, and more.  These start at $75.
• Digital scrapbooks are scrapbooks made using their digital software.  They allow you to manipulate the design and use digital pictures.  They are not as bulky as non-digital scrapbooks.  Fees are $25/hr.  Paper is provided free of charge, but albums must be purchased seperately.

Right now, Always B Designs is offering a Don't Sweat the Shipping and you can get free shipping on any order with code SummerShip.

Visit Always B Designs at their store site or on Twitter, Facebook or their blog.

Thanks to Always B Designs for sponsoring my blog for Blogmania!

No Go on Reducing Asthma Medications

I was really hoping the doctor would reduce some of my soon to be three year old's asthma medications but it's a no go due to her allergies and asthma symptoms.  Seems that she's doing well other than when she's throwing a temper tantrum or playing too hard.  He had good reason which is to not hinder her from being a child.  He's afraid that if we reduce it now, she will be afraid to play hard due to the attacks which is logical and I was in complete agreement.  I just hope and pray she outgrows it but I'm starting to doubt it.

On a good note, I thought she seemed tiny for her age but per the charts, she's above average in height but a little leaner in weight.  That child is going to be a performer one day as her ultimate goal is to make people laugh with her funny voices, rolling her eyes and cute faces.  She's a ham just like her seven year old sister.

My oldest has her pre-natal check up tomorrow to ensure everything is going well.  She has to worry about being a cystic fibrosis carrier and having a negative RH factor.  We were positive it was a boy but the tech said girl but I'm not convinced by looking at the sonogram.  Time will tell ....

Near East 100% Natural House Party

Ever hear or try Near East® products?  I never had until I had a chance to experience their wonderful products thanks to BSM Media.  The Near East® products vary and include:

• Couscous
• Pasta
• Rice Pilaf
• Whole Grain Blends
• Kosher Certified Products
• Falafel
• Taboule
• Gourmet Meal Kits

Near East® products are high quality, easy to prepare and 100% natural. Professional chefs and creative cooks everywhere trust Near East® to come out perfect every time while bringing an air of simple sophistication to the able.

We had a wonderful house party with 13 of our friends, family and neighbors over to celebrate and learn more about Near East® and their products and recipes.  Our Couscous turned into a lively cooking party with these tasty recipes.

Thai Chicken Salad with Couscous
Fried Rice Style Couscous
Athenian-Style Chicken Kabobs

The group was divided into three and each made the recipe.  It was so much fun experiencing something new and exciting to make.

A great feature of Near East® is the website.  Not only are there product information and recipes but there are other pages for cooking concepts and dining with style.  Did you know the manner in which you set your table can dramatically add to the ambiance of your meal?  Check out all the great tips at dining with style.

For the party, I had gift bags to hand out compliments of the party host along with recipe cards I created with the select recipes we made that night, coupons for Couscous.  It was an enjoyable evening and very memorable as my girls also helped in the kitchen!  We loved the recipes made with Near East Couscous!

Don't forget to enter the Around the World in 5 Minutes sweepstakes!

I received complimentary products from the PR company or sponsor company in exchange for my participation for having a house party.  I received no financial compensation.

McDonald's Happy Meals: Threatened to be Sued

It's a sad day when a business can't even market their meals geared towards children with a play toy because it promotes poor eating habits.  McDonald's is being threatened to be sued if they don't remove their toys from Happy Meals.  You can read the story here.  I feel it's a mistake as there has to be a line to make parents accountable in making sound, healthy decisions for their children versus having government mandates telling us what we should or shouldn't eat.

Kids love McDonalds and yes, some might choose it for the toys but they also like the food.   The fast food chains have come under scrutiny and have changed their offerings by encouraging milk and items such as apple slices in their meals.  What should worry us is if this succeeds, what is next?  Mandating something such as this will catapult into other lawsuits on more items such as grocery stores encourage my kids to want candy bars by placing them at the front or they offer sales on candy to get me to buy them or french fries are bad for you so they need to ban them too.

I normally stay out of topics that are up for debate but I really feel this is setting a dangerous precedent when someone else chooses what is right or wrong of this nature when it should be up to the parents to decide.

Online School Solutions: Is It For You?

I've taken online classes before and had no problem with it as I've already found myself to be disciplined enough to complete something that can be set at your own pace.   Online instruction is geared towards a certain group of people that may prefer this type of learning over a traditional classroom environment.  Some children are geared this way too and actually perform better in this setting.

Online School Solutions provides a learning set up that can either be private school or public.  There is a difference and in Georgia, there is an online public school available and these types of online public schools are free.  They follow a traditional school year and may have to take standardized tests for their location.

Private online schools allow more flexibility in enrolling when you want, the ability to take up to 12 months to complete courses, optional mid term and end of course assessments to measure achievement growth and they still get to interact with students from around the world.

Online School Solutions offers a convenient map to determine which options are available for your state.  Georgia, for example, has The Keystone School for a private online experience.  Keystone offers both middle school and high school courses and you can earn a diploma.  There are even advanced options available in many areas such as math and foreign languages.

For those that struggle in the traditional environment, this looks like a great alternative in trying to help your child achieve educational success without limiting options of interpersonal interaction.  My oldest partook in online courses her senior year and did very well.  They were courses that served dual credits for high school and college.

Online schools offers the same technology that our iGeneration are familiar with between the internet and other web technologies.  Whether a student requires a few additional courses or prefers to complete all courses, the choice is available and I think it's wonderful!  In my senior year, I needed to transfer to an adult school as I had to work full time to provide financial support to my family.  It was inconvenient and if I had the opportunity to learn through this web based program with real teachers, I would have probably learned even more.  This would also be a great option for the military brats (i.e. my kids) since they move a lot and may not be happy with changing schools every three years.

The amount of support and tools available would really surprise you so if you are thinking of alternative educational sources, check out Online School Solutions to see what your state has for you.

Disclaimer:  I wrote this post as part of a campaign for onlineschoolsolutions.com and MomSelect.  I may receive a $20 gift card for compensation in reviewing the site.